America's first scientifically-based
Center for UFO Studies, established by J. Allen Hynek after a wave of UFO
reports across the States last year, is planning to ask the National Science
Foundation and NASA for funds in the near future. The Center, a loose afiiliation
of scientists from a dozen US universities, is currently funded by private
donations, but feels that its stock in trade -- scientific credibility
-- stands sufficiently high for approaches to be made to establishment
bodies like NSF and NASA.

Hynek, professor
of astronomy at Northwestern University, Illinois, and author of the best-selling
The UFO Experience, has been interested in unidentified flying objects
for years, and has developed contacts with what he calls the "invisible
college" of qualified scientists who believe the UFO phenomenon to
be worthy of investigation. In correspondence they agreed that it was time
to set up a Center to provide reliable UFO information and to collect reports
of events for investigation.

Hynek rented the
services of a toll-free telephone switchboard that is manned round the
clock, seven days a week, and distributed its number to police throughout
the United States. UFO reponts on this hot line average about one a day
(or night). Depending on their importance, cases are followed up in person
or by a questionnaire.

The scientists of
the Center are preparing a report on the 1973 UFO wave in which 1,500 cases
are listed. The sightings started in the southeastern states and, in Hynek's
words, "spread along the river valleys". When published next
spring, the report will be a valuable study of a major UFO event.

Hynek's work has
started a steady shift in public and scientific attitudes to UFOs which
are documented in a revealing hour-long TV programme being screened coast-to-coast
in December by NBC. "I think the programme's impact will be considerable,"
says Hynek. "When the next wave occurs the Center will be there to
serve."

Hynek is impressed
by the fact that the nature of the phenomenon itself is the one thing that
has not changed. "The typical UFO report today is essentially the
same as it was 10 years ago," he says. Yet he carefully points out
that he does not support the idea that UFOs are nuts-and-bolts spacecraft
from other worlds: "There are too many things against it. It seems
ridiculous that any intelligence would come from such great distances to
do reportedly stupid things like stopping cars and frightening people.
And there are far, far too many reports."

For Hynek and the
members of his "invisible college" there remains no doubt that
the UFO phenomenon is real. But its explanation? He draws a parallel with
early attempts at explaining what makes the Sun shine, which faltered through
lack of knowledge of physics. Currently, all the UFO Center can do is to
define the limits of the problem. Says Hynek: "We're setting down
the things that any hypothesis will have to explain." And, returning
to the conclusion of The UFO Experience, he adds: "When the solution
does come, it's going to be one hell of a quantum jump." -- Ian Ridpath